One-time football star Keith Gillespie was ordered to do 100 hours of community service for sending texts to his ex and posting a “personal photograph” of her online.

The 39-year-old was spared jail at Newtownards Magistrates Court for breaching a non-molestation order three times.

Deputy District Judge Gerald Trainor told the former Premiership winger: “The court stands back from the prospect of custody.

“In this case there was consistent and repeated offending and you know that the court actively considered the possibility regarding a custodial sentence.”

The judge added he was “only now satisfied that you do appreciate how seriously these matters are considered by the court”.

He had previously heard how Gillespie repeatedly telephoned and texted his ex partner and even posted a “personal photograph” of her online, leading the footballer to plead guilty to three separate breaches of a court imposed non-molestation order on dates in December last year and January and February this year.

A prosecuting lawyer had outlined how following the breakdown of their relationship, Gillespie’s ex-partner was granted a temporary non-molestation order on December 6 last year but that within hours of police officers serving it, Gillespie texted her three times.

The lawyer conceded while there was “nothing threatening” in those messages which read: “I got your summons. I spoke to police and realise now why you withheld your number but you are the last one to call so you are not that clever.”

She added that the injured party was “very concerned regarding the defendant's course of action and she felt harassed by his behaviour”.

The next breach happened on January 21 this year, a week after the temporary non-molestation was extended for a year when Gillespie telephoned his ex-partner nine times between 2am and 4am.

“Immediately suspecting” that Gillespie was making the calls, his “very frightened” ex-partner did not answer the phone but instead “checked outside the windows for him, waiting for him to appear”.

When arrested Gillespie, from Ballycrochan Avenue, Bangor, Co Down, admitted the first breach in December but while he admitted owning the phone on which which the numerous early morning calls were made, said he had no explanation for them and denied making them.

The last breach came on February 25 when, having heard his ex had a new man, Gillespie set up a fake Instagram account in her name and posted what was described as a “personal photograph” on the website.

Gillespie admitted setting the account up but claimed he didn’t realise that doing so would breach the order.

Making a plea in mitigation Mr Duncan said the offences arose as a result of his client “having difficulties in coming to terms with the breakdown of the relationship” and not being able to see his son.

He said there was no allegation of physical violence in the relationship but rather it was Gillespie’s unwanted contact which lead to the non-molestation order, submitting that his breaches were “fairly benign”.

Mr Duncan said Gillespie had “come to terms” with the fact the relationship was dead with “no going back” and that he was taking legal steps to obtain regular contact with the child.

“That is reflective of someone who has shown a much more mature attitude and shows that things have moved on,” said the lawyer adding that Gillespie publicly “apologises” to his ex partner.

As well as the Community Service Order, Judge Trainor also imposed a two-year restraining order barring Gillespie from contacting his victim or encouraging anyone to contact her on his behalf, going within 200 metres of her Bangor home and from setting up any account on any social media website in her name.

The judge told him what he had done was “a form of domestic violence” but the court recognised his “significant achievements through life which obviously brought great commendations on yourself and the area from which you come from”.

Judge Trainor added that probation had assessed Gillespie as not posing a risk, as a low likelihood of reoffending and someone who does not have a “pro-domestic violence attitude”.

Outside the court the sportsman declined to comment.

The former winger for Leicester, Newcastle Utd, Manchester United is still a hero on the Windsor Park terraces.

Declared legally bankrupt in 2010, Gillespie wrote in his autobiography entitled How Not To Be A Football Millionaire, that he had spent around £7million as part of a gambling addiction.